The BMW 5 Series GT is a difficult car to put into context, because it is one of a kind. The concept of a versatile five-door luxury car is not without appeal, even if it may prove to be the answer to a question no one has yet asked.

The Rolls-Royce Ghost uses the same eight-speed auto as the BMW 5 Series

And yet it is clearly a BMW. Different though the concept is, the execution is flawed. While the passenger compartment feels very special, impressing with its space, functionality and style, BMW has compromised luggage space in the pursuit of coupé-inspired styling and that spacious rear cabin. Making it a four-seater (in practice) will surely limit the market appeal for family buyers; the frustrating lack of a cavernous load space means this is no rival for a regular estate car.

But it is dynamically where the GT is least compelling. It is agile but oddly unsatisfying to drive. And for a car focused on comfort, the ride is disappointing. It is trying to be too many things for too many people, and as a result it satisfies none. All this speaks volumes about the decision to axe the 5GT and reinvent it as the 6 Series Gran Turismo as to avoid tarnishing the new model any further.